from Miles:
“I get emails from prominent people who don’t understand what I am up to. They tell me that given my talents, I am just making things hard on myself. Why would I purposefully pick a losing side here? What do I have in common with the schlumps slouching around in their masks, happily begging for more rules, asking no questions? They tell me I have some distant links to the rulers I am not aware of, and that I am not using. They tell me that, based on my looks and my abilities, I must be “high blooded”, so why would I become the champion of the low blooded? Maybe it is because, in the end, I am not the champion of anyone but myself. I am defending myself, first and foremost, and to do that I have to take on the peers who have closed me out of the top levels. If I have any rank, it is low, so like you I was expected to do what I was told. If I wanted to be an artist, for instance, I should have embraced Modernism and helped push that project forward. If I wanted to be scientist, the same thing applies: I should follow orders and push the projects forward without question. I am not a Stuart, so I
am predestined to be a footsoldier.
But that wasn’t good enough for me. I don’t believe in blood or in predestination. Or, if I believe in either one, I believe in a different sort than they believe in. I believe in rankings, but not their fake rankings. No matter what the genealogies say, I can tell their blood is bad. It doesn’t take any special Spidey sense to see that. I was not made to take orders from the likes of them, and I knew that from the cradle. I have more nascent nobility in one earlobe than those people have seen in generations of their debased families. Why? I don’t know, I just know that is how it is.
Actually I do know, in part. I know that part of real nobility is noblesse oblige, which these people no longer believe in. Noblesse oblige means that a primary and defining characteristic of nobility concerns caring for those below you and not taking advantage of them. If you are blessed to rule, you are obliged to rule beneficently. Those with real nobility of blood know this without being taught. It is part of their DNA. It is how you can tell if they are really noble or not. I got it from both my lines, since my parents exercised noblesse oblige without ever being prompted. They cared for those less fortunate, not because they were told to by leaders or pastors, but because it was something they couldn’t help doing. Even while watching sports, my father would always pull for the underdog, and I didn’t understand why until later. He couldn’t help it. It was just part of his make-up.
So while I admit that I don’t have much in common with most middle or lower class people—in that we don’t have many interests in common or much to talk about—I am on their side despite that. As a real artist, I don’t have much in common with anyone of any class. No one is on my side, so if I pick a side, it isn’t to fit in or to promote “my people”. I have no people and don’t fit in anywhere, so my choice isn’t based on that. I have chosen to fight the privileged because they have chosen to squash me along with all the others, and I don’t like it. But it is more than that, as you now understand. I see the current fake nobility preying on the lower classes, and I find it revolting. My blood literally revolts at the idea. In part, it is a matter of pride: I like to think I have enough brains and ability to advance without squashing anyone along the way. I don’t need to steal anyone’s money, since I should be able to make my own way, without ever once relying on a con. If I can’t make it honestly, I would rather just climb
on a mountaintop and expose myself to the elements.
Real nobles don’t need to cheat and steal in order to advance. Real high blood carries with it real ability, and those with real ability can advance honestly, while at the same time helping those below them on the ladder. That isn’t just a theory, since I do it every day. I do my art and science and other jobs, while helping others along the way. If I can do it with almost no money and no support, why can’t those with far more privilege than me? Why are the billionaires always soaking the poor and the middle class? Other than a couple of extra bicycles and kittens, I have no excess wealth, so why do these people need so much?“
I could not agree more however what Miles wrote at the end of the article I don’t agree with.
Him comparing humans to Nature or instinct driven animals is not a good way of explaining human phenomenon.
Human beings have the least resemblance to the rest of the living world. The way things developed over the many centuries indicate that human civilisation is a result of a failed genetic mutation rather than anything else. Overall the collateral damage to enable civilisational advancement is immense. On top of that the level of emotional support (including pets) the human beings require just to maintain the mental baseline is excessive. If not pets, alcohol, drugs adults use their children as emotional support and/or objects of abuse. While some drink beer storage of wine has become the essential again to numb the conscience pretty much on a daily basis.
Considering how much Miles knows about the world and the Families I would expect from him some decisive action rather than quarterly romanticising. If I was from the Families this is exactly what I would do, hire a man who has these delusions about human specie and numbs reader’s senses with frequent romanticising. I reckon romanticising is also what the middle-class people feed themselves as a coping mechanism.
By the way greed is a useless term to explain the affairs.
By now I would expect from Miles to know why “these people” need so much but he goes in circles.
But I appreciate that at least he is not spinning me like the others with fear or other crap.